Why is it worth coming to the Giant Mountains? Among other things, for the highest waterfall in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains, the oldest, largest and most beautiful shelters and … the devil turned into a stone. See the description of the hiking trail and the biggest attractions in the Giant Mountains.

Karkonosze , although they are very old, they will tempt even the young! Teenagers are watching them, and the older ones are not indifferent to their concerns. And they? They'll accept anyone! Because this is what the Karkonosze Mountains are like, one of the oldest in our mountains. Beautiful, seductive, but also capricious …

Until 1946 they were called the Giant Mountains. No wonder as many as 54 peaks are over 1000 meters. And although only 28 percent. The Karkonosze Mountains is on our side (the rest in the Czech Republic), the highest peak - Śnieżka (1603 m above sea level), we shared in a friendly way with our neighbors.

The Karkonosze Mountains are one of the cradles of European tourism (the Śnieżka postcard was the first postcard in the world). They have the largest number of tourist routes in the Sudetes (they are part of them), which are even several hundred kilometers long. These are human-friendly mountains. They show without any problems what is most beautiful - rocks, debris, cauldrons and lakes. A large number of shelters guarantee a peaceful hike.

Hiking plan in the Karkonosze Mountains

Route:Szklarska Poręba - Karkonoska Pass - KarpaczTime:3 days (two nights at the shelter)Cash desk :approx. 260 PLN (including regular tickets for 2 cable cars and tickets to the park, accommodation in double rooms - 118 PLN)Difficulty level:for everyone (there are two variants)

Itinerary: day 1

  • Day 1:to the shelter at the Łabski Peak
  • Walking time:4-5 hours (or 2 hours) with rest on Szrenica

You are leavingSzklarska Poręba . Once you've seen the biggest "village" in Prussia, head to the mountains, first toSzrenica . You can choose from two variants.First variantfor lazy people: you enter Szrenica by cable car (the station is located at the intersection of Turystyczna and Urocza Streets). The cable car is 2760 meters long and after a 20-minute ride you are already 600 meters higher. He runs every day from 9-17. Buy a one-way ticket only (price: PLN 18). Warning! InHalfway through the road, we have to change and … the National Park ticket office. Price to the park: for three days - PLN 8 (PLN 4 single ticket).

Second variantfor ambitious (or frugal). You enter Szrenica on foot. Prepare for approx. 2.5 - 3 hours hiking in the woods. On the way you will seeKamieńczyk waterfall . In Szklarska Poręba, all trails start at the Sudety Hotel. You will go from there. First you go along the streets, you pass the rocks called Krzywe Baszty and Krucze and you cross the Kamienna river by the bridge. You finally enter the forest across the river. After approx. 40 minutes you are at the waterfall. And here's a surprise - you have to buy a ticket, price: PLN 4. The Kamieńczyk Waterfall is the highest in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains. The water falls from a height of 27 meters on three steps. You can see the beautiful 100-meter long canyon by going down the stairs and walking on the iron observation deck.

Once you and your camera are satisfied with the views of the falling water - go on the rocky road to Szrenica. Attention, prepare a change for a ticket to the park. And one more thing - right in front of the shelter in the hall, a steep climb awaits you!

OnHala Szrenickayou must see the rocks calledHorseheads . It is only 15 minutes from the hostel, but it is worth it because of the huge rocks and the beautiful views of Szklarska Poręba. The summit itself is above the shelter. To get to it, you need another several minutes. After a short rest, head towards the shelter atŁabski Peak . You are now following theWay of Polish-Czech Friendship.You are walking past rocksThree PigsandTwarożnik(there is a passage to the Czech Republic, you can also walk to the Elbe springs). You pass the peak and go down to the shelter. Here, of course, you check in for the night.Pod Łabskim Szczytemwas built on the site of an old shed, next to which a trail leading to the Elbe springs ran, in the Czech Republic (accommodation price: PLN 40, tel. 075 752 60 88).

Itinerary: day 2

  • Day 2:with a view of Śnieżka
  • Time:approx. 6-7 hours

Better to get up in the morning because you have a lot to go and see. First of all, you will see the biggest attraction of the region -Śnieżne Kotły . You will reach them in approximately 45 minutes from the hostel. Warning! It's especially dangerous here!

Hala Szrenickais a huge meadow where cattle were once grazed. For some time it was called the Border Meadow (the hall also covers the areas on the Czech side). In 1787, the first shepherd's hut was built in Hala, which was transformed intoshelter. The brick building was not built until 1895. After many reconstructions, it is now the largest shelter in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains.

The Small Snow Cauldronis deeper, its bottom lies at an altitude of 1175 m. There is a rock perch between the two boilers. The boilers were built around 20 thousand. years ago, at the end of the Ice Age. The ice tongues were then 2 km long! On the rock walls you can see alpine and arctic vegetation. At the beginning of the 19th century, a buffet was built on the edge of Kotły, and later a shelter. Continuous lightning strikes meant that in the 1970s it was transformed into a relay station.

Further after about 25 minutes you pass the so-calledCzechandSilesian Stones(groups of stones), on the right a bit below you will see the Czech Petrov Bouda chalet and through a very damaged forest (a shocking view!) to the shelterRebirthonKarkonoska Pass.This is the lowest point of the main ridge of the Karkonosze Mountains (1198 m). In the 1980s, Polish and Czech oppositionists, headed by Vaclav Havel, met here.

After an hour you will reachSunflower- the most beautiful rocks of the Karkonosze Mountains. One of them (12 meters) is calledDevil's Stone . Legend has it that it is … a Satan turned into stone, who wanted to fill the nearby Great Pond. When he stopped to catch his breath, the bells of the Angelus rang and the devil petrified.

The last bit of today's journey is ahead of you. You walk along the edge of theCauldron of the Great , and thenof the Little Pond . The views are breathtaking! No wonder that in the 1995 movie "Adversary about Basia", the timpani pretended to be … Andy. Only artificial palm trees and an Indian village were provided, in which Basia found her father.

You spend the night either in the shelterSamotniaby the Mały Staw, or inStrzesze Akademickiej . Samotnia is one of the oldest and most beautiful shelters in Poland. In the 17th century, a wooden building with a turret was the seat of a trout farm guard (price: PLN 35 at the weekend, tel. 075 76 19 376). Strzecha Akademicka is also one of the oldest shelters both in the Karkonosze Mountains (1642!) And in Poland. It was used by pilgrims going to Śnieżka. He was also here, among others Goethe (price: PLN 37, tel. 075 75 35 275).

Itinerary: day 3

  • Day 3:to Karpacz via … Śnieżka
  • Time:approx. 4 hours (or 2 hours) with a rest on Śnieżka

From the shelter you head towardsŚnieżka . You reach the pass under the Śnieżka Mountain, whereŚląski Domstands (only a buffet!) And you start your arduous climb to the top. Byat the very end it will be steep.Śnieżkais the highest peak of the entire Sudetes, it is 1602 m. It was first climbed in 1456. Strong winds with a speed exceeding 50 m per hour often blows here. On its top there is the 17th-century chapel of St. Wawrzyńca - the patron saint of guides and the High-Mountain Meteorological Observatory of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management in the shape of three saucers. A postcard with a drawing by Śnieżka, published in 1873, was probably the first postcard in the world!

Now it will be downhill. You have two variants to choose from. Variant for the very tired: going down fromMała Kopa(you have to go down to it) to Karpacz by chairlift. The Zbyszek chairlift (single seats) is 2,229 m long and covers a 530 m hill. The descent takes 18 minutes (price: PLN 11).

Second variant for ambitious people: descent to Karpacz viaKocioł Łomniczki(approx. 2-2.5 hours). Many disasters have been recorded here, therefore this trail is closed in winter. The stream flowing downstream forms the longest (300 m) sequence of cascades in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains. Gold was once rinsed from the stream. In the upper part of the Cauldron, there is a symbolic Mountain Victims Cemetery. It was established in 1985 to commemorate people who died in the Karkonosze or came from this area, but died in other mountains. And it's over! We are inKarpacz .

You need to climb (or drive):

  • Na Szrenica (for beautiful views)
  • Na Śnieżka (because it is the highest peak of the Karkonosze Mountains)

Must see:

  • Śnieżne Kotły (Snow Boilers only here!)
  • Small and Big Pond (because they resemble Andes)
  • Devil's Stone (because it's a cursed Satan)
  • Samotnia shelter (because it is the most beautiful)

Worth seeing:

  • Mountain Victims Cemetery (because the only one in Poland)
  • flying saucers, i.e. observers on Śnieżka (because they are actually out-of-this-earth)

These phones may be useful to you:

  • Tourist Information, Szklarska Poreba: 075 754 77 40
  • Tourist Information, Karpacz: 075 761 86 05
  • Tourist Information, Jelenia Góra: 075 767 69 25

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